The tea of the moment at Sororitea Sisters is Whisky Barrel Wood Smoked Black Tea from Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden – available from Yunomi! I know the wordage seems like a mouth-full but wait until you EXPERIENCE this tea!
A little background on this unique Whisky Barrel Wood Smoked Black Tea from Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden…it’s a loose leaf black tea from the Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan region. The black leaves are smoked using wood from Japanese Whisky Barrels.
This tea is a Silver Medal Winner of the 2014 International Tea Tasting Competition. I can totally see and TASTE why this was a winner! This tea fascinates me! A lot of effort and hard work went into this one! Special nod to Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden as it is a family business, farm, and tea factory!
This is highly scented because of the whisky barrels used. It’s reminiscent of a Lapsang Souchong but it doesn’t leave the same aftertaste as many (or most) LS’s do! It leaves a sweeter, more pleasant lingering flavor and subtle hints of citrus, even!
I don’t know if it’s because I have been binge watching American Pickers or because I live in an area that has a sizable Amish population but I can’t help but think of a wooden barn on a damp, wet, rainy day. Regardless this tea awakens ALL of the senses! It forces you to pause and think. It’s a great way to take a short break from your busy day! This is a VERY MEMORABLE tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
Silver Medal Winner of the 2014 International Tea Tasting Competition, Matsumoto-san smokes his black tea using the wood from Japanese whisky barrels. No flavorings or additives used.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Earl Grey Black Tea from Waterfalls Tea Company. . . . .
Waterfall Tea Company (AKA Waterfall Teas) is one of the companies I haven’t been able to dive into much thus far and I’m not really sure why!? I guess I just haven’t seen it around much and haven’t ordered it online yet.
About a month or two ago I re-visited Tea Leafs in Williamsville, NY, and came across a few of their teas that were available for sale and individually wrapped. I decided to buy a single bag just to try it out. The one I grabbed first was the one I decided to buy and that was their Organic Earl Grey.
Organic Earl Grey from Waterfall Tea Company is loose leaf in a biodegradable sachet. It’s what you would expect from an Earl Grey. Medium strength black tea and bergamot oil. The bergamot isn’t over the top nor is it whispering. It’s a nice middle-of-the road flavor. A nice SAFE tea to share with the masses!
I also appreciate the crisp and clean packaging, design, and presentation of Waterfall Teas. Everything is clearly marked and stated. They have the recognizable USDA Organic label along with Orthodox Union and Oregon Tilth labels.
In case you are not as familiar with the latter two labels…The OU (Orthodox Union) Kosher is the world’s largest and most widely recognized kosher certification agency, certifying over 800,000 products produced in more than 8,500 plants located in 100 countries around the world.
Oregon Tilth is a leading nonprofit certifier, educator, and advocate for organic agriculture and products since 1974. Over the past 40 years, Oregon Tilth has helped lead the way on moving organic agriculture from a “fringe alternative” movement into a research-based approach to sustainable food production. They played an integral role in the formation of the USDA National Organic Program, helped found the Organic Materials Research Institute and pushed to expand organic sustainability beyond agriculture to textiles and other products.
So there is a little education with your daily tea. I enjoyed the cuppa and the research while preparing this post for today. Organic Earl Grey from The Waterfall Tea Company is a good one to have on hand if you are short on time or want a pleasing cup to share with a group of friends!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Waterfall Tea Company
Description
This tea doesn’t appear to be available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Colombian Black Tea from Simpson and Vail. . . . .
Simpson & Vail has announced a few new Colombian Teas and I thought I would share with you their Colombian Black Tea today!
Their Colombian Black Tea is from the mountainous region of Colombia, in an area steeped in biodiversity, along the western slope of the Andes, called the Bitaco tea estate.
The gentle mist from the mountains, rich soil, and ample rainfall stimulates the growth of the tea bushes and produces this tea shouting its unique characteristics.
The large, black wiry, slightly tippy leaves have a light malty aroma and brew to an amber cup with a smooth taste and delicate fruity notes according to S&V! And I would have to agree!
I have been sipping in this one for a while. It hails a fairly sturdy 2nd infusion, too!
Even tho this is a pretty strong black tea it’s not OVERLY strong – like you need someone to break your morning zombie trance – but it’s a nice bolder cuppa to sip though out the day or even in the afternoon or early evening! Another DANDY of a black tea from Simpson & Vail!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
From the mountainous region of Colombia, in an area steeped in biodiversity, along the western slope of the Andes, is the Bitaco tea estate. The gentle mist from the mountains, rich soil, and ample rainfall all stimulate the growth of the tea bushes, producing a tea with unique characteristics. The large, black wiry, slightly tippy leaves have a light malty aroma and brew to an amber cup with a smooth taste and delicate fruity notes.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Red Pearls (Hong Zhen Zhu) from Silk Road Teas. . . .
I recently finished up my sample of Red Pearls (Hong Zhen Zhu) from Silk Road Teas. I’m not going to lie…a single, small, dramatic tear ran down the side of my face as I consumed the last sips of this wonderful infusion!
The color of the liquor itself was VERY dark laying there in my cuppa. It paired perfectly with the rainy days we have been having lately. Not that this is a gloom and doom cup but more like a comforting cuppa, instead!
This is a high-grade Mao Feng leaf that has been rolled into shiny small pearls and oxidized to a deep brown color.
It’s softly aromatic, offers a touch of smokiness, and has a light, naturally sweet finish.
The word I keep coming back to with this taste of tea is molasses! Not sure why but that is what this one reminds me of…molasses! It’s sweet, dark, thick, bold, tarry-malty, and delicious!
A black tea many to most would be PROUD to have in their stash! I know I was darn delighted!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Silk Road Teas
Description
A high-grade Mao Feng leaf has been rolled into a shiny small pearl and oxidized to a deep brown color. The result is an unusual and rare Fujian Province black tea that is softly aromatic, offering a touch of smokiness and a light, naturally sweet finish. Cup color is a rich red and clean. Our lot is very well made, the craftsmanship is apparent. This style of black tea was once quite common but in recent years has become rare as the processing of the leaf is quite difficult.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cacao Tea from MiCacao. . . . .
I don’t eat a lot of chocolate. Mostly because in the area I live there aren’t many dairy-free chocolate store-bought options. Therefore, I choose a cup of Cacao Shells or nibs instead. That is exactly what happened recently with this cup! Cacao Tea from MiCacao is pretty awesome – I have to say!
Herbal chocolate tea made from the shell of the cacao bean. This Cacao Tea is 100% cocoa based and is completely natural, preservative free, and without any artificial flavors or starches. It’s also Sugar-free, Organic, Gluten-Free, and Vegan-friendly!
It’s naturally sweet, naturally chocolaty, naturally creamy, and naturally…WONDERFUL! I guess one COULD add a non-dairy milk of their choice to this but I didn’t find it necessary! It’s great by itself!
I’m super stoked that companies are offering this more now! But I have to say when a company SOLELY offers this – you know it has to be good! I mean – they are throwing ALL of their efforts in THIS offering!
The bagged product is currently sold out but they have the loose product available for purchase on their website – as of the date I am writing this review – that is! I can’t help but wonder if they will be doing flavored Cacao. Wouldn’t THAT be something? Right away I can think of Strawberry paired with this. Orange – perhaps! Vanilla? WOW! And if you are looking for some culinary ideas – take a look at their website – and get those creative cooking juices flowing!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: MiCacao
Description
MiCacao uses 100% organic cacao beans to create a delicious tea that is both healthy and natural. Also known as chocolate herbal tea, Cacao tea comes from a drink that natives of tropical regions in Central and South America have been drinking for centuries. It’s light with a hint of chocolate and is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals – everything you need for a healthy mind and body.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!